


the lion and the fox

by thunderylee



Category: Hey! Say! JUMP
Genre: Alternate Universe - Animals, Bromance, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-21
Updated: 2013-11-21
Packaged: 2019-01-16 02:17:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12333459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thunderylee/pseuds/thunderylee
Summary: Ever since he was young, he had been on his own.





	the lion and the fox

**Author's Note:**

> reposted from agck.

Ever since he was young, he had been on his own. He only knows what he is from distant memories, his mother calling him a beautiful kit while his older sister plotted his disappearance. Saya had struck when they passed through a dangerous area and lured him out to the forest while their parents weren’t looking.

Chinen had bent down to lap a sip of water and never saw any of them again. It was scary at first, but he quickly learned to avoid all other living creatures—even other foxes—and made a rather lovely life for himself, if quiet and isolated.

He hears the whining before anything else, which is strange because usually he’ll smell something odd first. Whatever it is sounds like it’s in pain, but Chinen is still cautious as he peers over a big rock.

What he sees is a gigantic lion and he can’t scurry away fast enough, except that a “Wait! Please!” stops him in his tracks. Because it had been spoken in his language.

“How do you know fox?!” he demands, his fur on edge from using his voice. He hasn’t had to speak to anyone in years.

“I try to understand everything,” the lion replies, less gruff than Chinen expected. His tone is almost nice, if a bit pained. “I’m not going to hurt you, I promise. That’s why I’m here.”

Against his better judgment, Chinen looks around the rock again and sees something sharp sticking into the lion’s hind leg, hindering its movement. “What happened to you?”

“I wouldn’t kill,” the lion replies. “I’m a disgrace, my father said. I’m not worthy of ruling the pride.”

“What an asshole,” Chinen mutters, gathering his courage to step forward. His tail twitches the entire way, but the lion just lies there helplessly as Chinen approaches. “What’s your name?”

“Takaki.”

“I’m Chinen.”

Takaki reaches out a paw, making Chinen flinch and jump almost an entire foot back, his heart pounding in his chest as his life flashes before his eyes. It hasn’t been much of a life, but it’s been pleasant at least. But Takaki just whines again from the movement, looking miserable as the stick digs into his muscle, and Chinen feels something he hasn’t felt in a long time—guilt.

“I want to believe you,” he says quietly, “but I still think you’re going to eat me.”

“I won’t eat you,” Takaki promises. “I’ve eaten fox before, and it didn’t taste that good.”

Chinen blinks. “That is not comforting!”

“I don’t have anything to offer you,” Takaki pleads. “I can’t even hunt for food. But if you pull this thing out of my leg, I’ll stand by you forever. No one will mess with you, because they don’t know I’m a shameful lion who can’t even roar.”

That does sound like a nice deal. Carefully Chinen walks over to the wound and takes the stick firmly between his teeth, bracing himself before using all of his strength to pull it out. Takaki’s noises get even higher, but they’re followed by a sigh of relief when the intrusion is gone. There’s quite a gash left behind, but there doesn’t seem to be a lot of blood and Takaki gets to his feet well enough.

“Thank you so much,” he says, bowing his giant head. His mane is more flowing and elegant than Chinen’s ever seen. “I am eternally in your debt.”

Chinen just shakes his head, his nerves calming now that he hasn’t become lunch. Takaki could still attack him, especially now that he’s not injured as badly, but something tells Chinen that he won’t. There’s nothing to fear from a lion who can’t roar, anyway.

Takaki’s never been out of his pride, so Chinen has fun showing him all of the places he usually frequents. He can’t fit into a few of them, pouting about being too big, but Chinen just thwacks him with his tail and tells him he’s supposed to be big, moron, he’s a fucking lion.

When night falls, he sleeps above ground with Takaki and it’s inordinately cold. He must be shaking, because a giant paw scoops him up and the next thing he knows is a warmth that floods his entire body, an even louder heartbeat, and a low rumbling bass line that Chinen doesn’t recognize.

Then a rough tongue pushes the fur on the back of his head up, and Chinen scrambles away while pawing at him. “Stop.”

“I’m cleaning you,” Takaki tells him. “You smell weird.”

“I smell weird because I’m a fox!” Chinen protests, but Takaki ignores him and continues to bathe him. “We’re not _there_ yet,” he whines.

Eventually he gives in and lets Takaki fuss over him, because apparently that’s what lions do when someone saves them. Chinen will never understand felines, but now he’s friends with one for life.

And he’s never felt safer.


End file.
